No 1 RM Commando,Royal Marines

Hi,

In the picture gallery,recent updates ,is a picture of the head stone for

CH/X 790.Sgt. J.G.A Finch-Smiles.

His unit is given as No 1 RM Commando,Royal Marines,and this date of death as 29 Jan. 1947,

What was No 1 RM Commando, I thought that by the end of the war the RM Commandos units numbered from 40 to 48 inclusive.

Many thanks

Graham

Hi,
It might be "1 Royal Marine Engineer Commando".

The War Diary cover has "1 RME Coy - later 1 RME Cdo"

Regards

Danny

Hi Graham

His date of death is the 29th January 1947 thus post war. As you probably realise, immediately after the war ended not only were the Army Commandos disbanded, but 5 of the RM Commandos were as well. In addition some remaining units changed titles. There was great change going on in the Royal Marines let alone the Commandos, as men were being demobbed and units disbanded. In 1947 the training was changing with new locations and names.

Towyn where the Royal Marines Commando training was taking place (soon to be moved) is only about 8 miles from where he is buried so it is possible but not certain that the unit may have had something to do with training there.